Environment Priority

There is one country in the world that has devoted over a century to reforestation and greening the land. And I'm not talking about the United States or Liechtenstein.

There is one country in the world that ended the 20th century with more trees than it began with; a country that has devoted over a century to reforestation and greening the land. I'm not talking about the United States or Liechtenstein.

In the beginning of the 1900s, this country's indigenous forests were just about completely eliminated by centuries of neglect, with hundreds of years of warfare, grazing and logging taking a heavy toll on environmental resources. When it declared independence, there were fewer than five million trees in the entire expanse of the country. Today it boasts over 200 million trees.

It was a desolate barren land covered in deserts, forgotten and ignored by many. It's particularly rare in this day and age, in a world where just about every country is tearing apart their forests to have one country with very limited resources, devote its time to restore its beauty to what it was centuries ago.

Mark Twain in the 1800s, visited this place and described it as, "a desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds... a silent mournful expanse... a desolation." Not so, anymore.

Twain's description of this place reminds me of how the land looks in the end of "The Lorax" by Dr. Suess, a place which has been scrapped to the bone of any natural resources.

In the meantime, this nation has been working hard to reintroduce to the land animals that were hunted to extinction. Many animals mentioned in old texts could no longer be found here when independence was declared half a century ago, also victims of centuries of neglect and over-hunting.

The Fallow Deer was gone from here and was thought to be completely extinct until a herd of 25 was found in the '50s in Iran, according to the World Wildlife Fund. By 1972, the Oryx was completely extinct in the wild, and WWF reported the Roe Deer was hunted to extinction over 50 years ago as well. This nation has been on a continuous mission to restore its land to its diverse wildlife, so far succeeding in reintroducing all these animals into the wild, many of which can now only be found in the wild, in this place.

Today there are 116 different species of land animals in the country, compared with 140 in all of Europe, a landmass 300 times bigger.

Today there are 116 different species of land animals in the country, compared with 140 in all of Europe, a landmass 300 times bigger. This country also boasts 373 nature reserves, which make up 16 percent of its land area. Species now being raised for future release into the wild include the White Oryx, Ostrich, Persian Fallow Deer, Roe Deer and Asiatic Wild Ass, a feat that was once thought to be completely futile.

I'm very happy to see that this country, already plagued by terrorism and a struggling economy, is willing to devote so much time, energy and money to helping the environment. Able to both care about its people and its surroundings suggests that this country is a model to us all on protecting our dwindling natural resources.

When it comes to fossil fuels, this country has made a concerted effort to use renewable energy. The world's largest solar power station is currently under construction here, according to www.distributedpowersolutions.com, while just about every home sports a solar panel used to heat water.

As countless animals are reintroduced into the land while dozens upon dozens of animals are becoming extinct daily in the rest of the world, I am inspired -- inspired that there are places out there that make the environment a priority, and do not use the economy or a struggle against terror as an excuse.

This country is none other than Israel, a country once just about completely denuded of its natural treasures. The United States, and the rest of the world for that matter, should look at Israel as a guide, leading all of humanity into an age of greater environmental awareness.

Visitor Comments: 11

Enjoyed reading all the comments and glad to see that my op-ed still up 8 years after it was first posted.

(10)
Ann,
January 14, 2004 12:00 AM

Setting the example

Reading this, the phrase 'Israel will be a light unto the nations' came into my mind. The fact that Israel exists and that Israelis can make a lush, gorgeous country from a wasteland is miraculous in itself. Every other country could do itself and the rest of the world a huge favour by following in Israel's enviromentally-friendly footsteps.

(9)
Ruth Lando,
January 14, 2004 12:00 AM

Land animals in Israel

My husband and I have been to Israel many times, and have visited the free roaming animal kingdom in the Negev. I have just become a member of WWF. I wrote to find out if they had any offices in Israel. They replied that they did not. When I e-mailed them about the article on Environmental Priority, they were not aware of it, but asked that I forward it to them. I am so pleased they asked for it. With more organizations aware of this work in Israel -- perhaps this will be a new and different way of promoting peace.

(8)
Susan,
January 13, 2004 12:00 AM

This article on Israel concerning the environment should be sent the the
leaders of all the western world. This little land puts them all to
shame!!!
From a lover of Israel.

(7)
asher,
January 13, 2004 12:00 AM

israeli environment - lacking

when thousands of acres of arable land are asphalted over
http://www.iued.org.il/

(6)
Ron J.,
January 13, 2004 12:00 AM

Wealth Brings Health

I am an environmental engineer with over 17 years experience. It is true that Israel is far advanced over its neighbors in terms of environmental protection and restoration, but then again, Israel is a richer country (in more ways than one). Think of Mark Twain's description of the land that is now Israel as a poor, barren area in which no one wanted to live and you get the idea.

By the same token, the United States has reforested heavily in the past century, with far more board feet of wood available than 100 years ago.

Given what natural resources cost the Israelis (lack of petroleum and limited fresh water), it should be no surprise that Israel has responded to the economic incentives it has been given. Israel would be more efficient if government subsidies did not distort the true cost of some natural resources to users (this is true in the Western U.S. as well). In addition, organizations like Ne'ot Kedumim have done fantastic work preserving, restoring, and displaying flora and fauna as they existed in Biblical times. While this progress is good, we must remember that the issues may arise when people in a densely crowded country move close to forest and agricultural areas and the inevitable conflict that brings.

When we read about reforestation, we should also remember that the Arabs have had great fun burning down forest areas planted by the Israelis.

(5)
sha,
January 12, 2004 12:00 AM

well said

and a good reminder of how we transformed the desert and continue to work with the environment. Great article

(4)
Anonymous,
January 12, 2004 12:00 AM

Yes Israel's Forests are growing, but.....

I agree ,kol hachavod to the Forest Agencey. In other aspects Israel is behind the times. Israel should start recycling. There is almost no recycling here. Also garbage is burned sending tons of carcinogens from plastics into the air. Our beaches often are poluted. There is alot to be addressed: use of solar powered vehicles is non-existant here. Exhaust emmissions are not regulated as they should be. California standards are needed here. The cancer rates in my neighborhood are very high. There is also alot of water wasted on car washing and on American/European style gardens. Xeroscaping is something people unheard of. I cringe every time I throw away plastics. I wish I could build a house out of it!

(3)
Margaret Bozik,
January 12, 2004 12:00 AM

KKL-JNF responsible for Israel's Environmental success

This is a wonderfully inspiring article but there is one omission -- a mention of KKL-JNF's role in Israel's environmental success. Israel would not have ended the 20th century with more trees than it began with, if it were not for the Jewish National Fund. It is Jews throughout the world who have contributed to the Blue Box and other KKL-JNF fundraising projects that are responsible for greening Israel through reforrestation, world-leading research into water-recycling and building water reservoirs in the Negev. For more information go to www.jnf.org.au

(2)
Anonymous,
January 12, 2004 12:00 AM

Excellent article

Although I am retired in a small town in Thailand & the only jew here.I wish I was more skilled in "hasbara" whenever the subject of Israel crops up during the conversations I occasionally have with one of the 6 or so Anglo-Saxons who live here.

(1)
Anonymous,
January 12, 2004 12:00 AM

Israel has the lowest rainfall in the world

Israel has the lowest rainfall in the world yet it has some super water technology, artificial lakes , precipitation technology, and drip water system, invented in Israel and copied around the World...